One embodiment provides an electrical key for locking and unlocking an electrical lock. The electrical key includes an energy-transfer unit that includes a magnetic core and a coil wrapped around the magnetic core, a pulse generator configured to generate a first pulse sequence including alternating pulse on and pulse off cycles and a second pulse sequence comprising a continuous pulse train, and a modulator driver configured to modulate a voltage or current on the coil using the generated first or second pulse sequence, a measurement module configured to measure a current or voltage on the coil excited by the modulated voltage or current, respectively, a key-position determination module configured to determine a relative position between the electrical key and the electrical lock based on the measured current or voltage, and a communication interface for communicating with the electrical lock to facilitate the locking and unlocking of the electrical lock.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The electrical key of claim 1, wherein the measurement module is configured to sample a waveform associated with the excited current or voltage, and wherein the key-position determination module determines the relative position between the electrical key and the electrical lock based on the sampled waveform.
3. The electrical key of claim 1, wherein the pulse generator is configured to generate the second pulse sequence in response to the key-position determination module determining that the electrical key is substantially close to the electrical lock.
4. The electrical key of claim 1, wherein the communication interface comprises a radio frequency (RF) communication interface, and wherein the electrical key is configured to transmit a locking or unlocking command to the electrical lock via the communication interface.
5. The electrical key of claim 1, further comprising an encryption module configured to encrypt communications between the electrical key and the electrical lock.
6. The electrical key of claim 1, further comprising a battery module.
7. The electrical key of claim 1, wherein the magnetic core comprises a U-shaped magnetic core or a cylindrical magnetic core.
9. The electrical lock-and-key system of claim 8, wherein the measurement module is configured to sample a waveform associated with the excited current or voltage, and wherein the key-position determination module determines the relative position between the electrical key and the electrical lock based on the sampled waveform.
10. The electrical lock-and-key system of claim 8, wherein the pulse generator is configured to generate the second pulse sequence in response to the key-position determination module determining that the electrical key is substantially close to the electrical lock.
11. The electrical lock-and-key system of claim 8, wherein a respective communication interface comprises a radio frequency (RF) communication interface, and wherein the electrical key is configured to transmit a locking or unlocking command to the electrical lock via the communication interface.
12. The electrical lock-and-key system of claim 11, wherein the electrical lock further comprises a motor configured to facilitate locking or unlocking of the electrical lock based on the received locking or unlocking command, respectively.
13. The electrical lock-and-key system of claim 8, wherein the electrical key and lock each comprises an encryption module configured to encrypt communications between the electrical key and the electrical lock.
14. The electrical lock-and-key system of claim 8, wherein the electrical key further comprises a battery, and wherein the electrical lock further comprises an energy storage unit configured to temporarily store energy transferred from the electrical key.
15. The electrical lock-and-key system of claim 8, wherein the first or second magnetic core comprises a U-shaped magnetic core or a cylindrical magnetic core.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
January 3, 2020
June 27, 2023
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.